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| Huge tote bag |
Great Loot
Over at Surviving and Thriving, my long-time (several years, now) favorite writer/blogger, Donna Freedman, had a fantabulous giveaway. I won. The box full of goodies came today, and I see Christmas presents in the flat rate box I just opened. The reusable bag is great, huge and has a zipper on the top, is waterproof (rubbery on inside), and a pocket with a pen place.
Now, she has a new giveaway. Yay! for giveaways. Join the fun. There is a time-limit on entries.
I did not cause the recent mayhem at her place!
And, I lost...
...my cooked dinner. Yesterday evening, I had a catastrophe. I burned to charcoal the chicken in a cast iron pot! When I came home the house was filled with acrid smoke that still makes my esophagus hurt. I rushed in, turned off the stove and dragged the pot off the burner. The back of the stove was black with soot. The knob above the burner had partially melted. I fled the house, eyes burning, and left the back door wide open and opened a window near the door.
I held cloth over my mouth and nose, trying to open the kitchen window. That's not possible unless I get on a chair so I can get on the sink. Yes, when I was younger, this was a piece of cake and involved no climbing.
The chickens were wailing to be let out of their pen, so I set them free to roam. They tried to follow me to the car.
Finally, I went to the car and ate a piece of cake that had just been given to me. When I had consumed the chocolate, I decided to drive two blocks to the fire station. Chocolate helps me think. When I came back to the house, the chickens I left in the front yard were nowhere to be seen. Uh-oh. No, they are not in the side yard. But, I do see a tail feathers sticking from the open back door. As I approached the side door, all three chickens looked out the door at me! They really, desperately want to be house chickens!
When I called them out, only Louise came. I had to take a piece of newspaper and sort of shove Thelma and Fancy out of the house. THEN, they hopped right back in. Unbelievably, neither pooped in the house, on the door mat, or on the porch.
It was bedtime for the hens, but I did not want them to die from the acrid fumes that choked me. After delaying as long as I could, I finally put their prepared cage in the doorway. They were so eager. After they had jumped in the cage I lined with paper, I left them in the open doorway for several hours, airing out the house. Thankfully, last evening was one of those rare evenings when neither flies or mosquitoes were out at dusk or after.
After awhile, the smell subsided. NOT! I just came home and the house is nasty smelling. I will set dishes of vinegar all over these rooms. Then, I will tackle the pot OUTDOORS in grungy clothing.
There is no picture to show you, just a horrendous odor.
Your turn
What have you won or lost lately?
I don't think I've won or lost a thing lately:) I'm so glad that you did win but also glad that you caught supper burning before it got worse!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, that could have been bad! Good luck with cleaning the pot.
ReplyDeleteBarb.
Barb, I wonder. Thanks. The pot will go on the grill after I scrape it a bit. Hopefully, the rest will be cinders.
ReplyDeletewow - that was an awesome win but also a super lose - jeesh eh - why is it always one step forward and 47 steps back?!?!?!?!?
ReplyDeletebut so glad that you caught it all in time and that pot is definitely salvage-able!
as for what we have won and lost lately - heck there are so many things that i could complain and whine about losing. but i would rather focus on what we have won lately - we won the freakin' lottery! we moved to a crappy little cottage with more problems associated with it than you can imagine! but man - we are sooo happy! we are sooo happy!
and that feels like winning a million bucks!
Ah, I did not mean it to sound like whining, more like a super disappointment and possible catastrophe averted. Yay for crappy little cottages and happiness!
ReplyDeleteoh sorry - i wasn't talking about you whining - i was meaning that i have been walking around for the past few weeks feeling like we haven't gotten anything accomplished and whining about it! so when i read your post i thought to myself - hey i should stop whining and remember to be happy - because we are so fortunate to have this crappy little place and to be here building our lives!
ReplyDeleteanyway - is the smell gone yet?
When I am here, I cannot smell it. When I go outdoors and come in soon, the odor lingers. When I leave for hours, the odor is omnipresent and strong. I have washed my hair since, but I could smell the smoke in my hair last night. I bent my face forward to write a check as I sat, and I could smell my clothing. So, I guess I walk around like Pigpen with a cloud of stench following me.
ReplyDeleteI thought you might trade some of the items in the giveaway, but giving them for Christmas is a good idea, too.
ReplyDeleteAs to what I've won/lost lately:
Won: $100 Amazon gift card at the Financial Bloggers Conference
Lost: A little over $80 cash and everything else in my wallet when I got mugged on the way to the FBC
Oh well, still $20 ahead.
Donna,
ReplyDeleteMy daughter does not leave home without mascara. So, she will love that. Neither she nor I wear heels, so the Dr. Scholl's gel insole could be an item to trade. The foot file, I keep. There are always the little gifts to sort of friends at Christmas. These items are perfect. IF I can make a little velvet bag to put them in and tie with a gold cord, they will be elegant. I already have velvet and cord.
I certainly cannot afford even cheap gifts this year.
Bummer. Getting a wallet stolen, getting mugged is awful. I don't remember your writing about that. Or, am I just sleepy and forgetful right now? Well, you are okay. Getting the driver's license replaced, plus all the other stuff and the replacement wallet ate up more than the $20 profit.